


Tin Snips

by EllOnWheels



Series: The Metallurgy Process [2]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, IronStrange, M/M, Minor Character Death, Sequel, Soul Stone Tony Stark, Stephen Strange feels, a wee bit of sharon bashing, in the past, loose ends, she's a bit hinky to me, thoughtful stephen strange, unironic ghost whisperer Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2020-07-10 20:03:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19911409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllOnWheels/pseuds/EllOnWheels
Summary: This is where all my little sequels and tied up loose ends to Tintype are going to go. You will need to read Tintype for any of this to make sense. These will be small scenes, and probably not sequential. Please enjoy these nosh sized servings of Tony and Stephen doing Tony and Stephen like things...Tags and characters to be added as they come up.





	1. Hey Nahh My Brucie's Back

**Author's Note:**

> Hey hey! So there are some things I wanted to touch on after the main arc of Tintype, so here is where they will go. I will write them as they come to me.
> 
> And if there is something you want me to see address further, please ask. I'm not promising I will fill the prompt, but I will see if it sparks my imagination.

Bruce’s eyelids felt like they were glued shut. Still he felt compelled to open them. There was something he needed to do, though he had no idea what. His vision was cloudy at first, and then cleared up to a razor fine perception he’d never had before. He was happy, but unsurprised to see Tony Stark’s face in front of him.

“Hey Bruce,” Tony said, voice softer than Bruce had ever heard it. “Don’t try and move just yet, okay? You’ve been out of it for a long time, and you may freak out, which we don’t want.”

“Whu huppun?” Bruce mumbled. His jaw and tongue felt heavy and slurred his speech.

“Hulk requested to bring the two of you together. His psychologist agreed... It’s taken a whole team to work at it, but it seems to have worked, though we’ve had an unexpected outcome... I’m talking to you, but I’m still looking at Jolly Green. So, please try to stay calm. You’re gonna have to a lot more strength than you used to when you get moving again.”

“I... I’m in his body?” Bruce asked.

“No, you’re in _your_ body. Hulk was just borrowing it... He’s a product of you. He _is_ you. A split of your personality, but still you. He understands that now, and wants you to as well,” Tony explained. Bruce tentatively brought his hand up and saw that it was enormous and green.

“Oh, oh god,” Bruce said. Before his heart rate could rise, Tony laid his hand over the back of Bruce’s hand that was still on the bed.

“Hey, hey, take it easy,” Tony said. “I’m right here, okay?”

“Tony, what did you do to me?” Bruce asked, trying to sort out the shock and revulsion.

“Nothing you didn’t do to yourself, Bruce... I think you’ve been suicidal, but also afraid to die, probably for decades now... And I want you to get help for that. The world could use your smarts right now, not just your brawn,” Tony said. “And we’re finding that Hulk wasn’t really meant for long term stays out in the world. He’s grown a lot in terms of communication, but he will always basically be... a child. Because he’s the part of you that you suppressed due to trauma. It’s understandable, if an extreme example... But you can’t abandon that child to deal with the consequences of what you started... So, to keep you alive, you have to step up again, buddy.”

“How am I supposed to live like this, Tony?” Bruce asked, still staring at his hand.

“The same way your counterpart did. Once you feel like getting up, you’ll see the accommodations we’ve made to ensure you’re comfortable,” Tony replied.

“What if I lose control permanently this time?” Bruce asked, genuinely afraid of that outcome. He made to sit up and realized he was on a massive bed.

“Take it slow, Brucie,” Tony said, rubbing the back of Bruce’s hand. Bruce felt calmed by the touch and was surprised by that. He sat up and swung his legs to get his feet on the floor. He was shirtless, but had comfortable tactical bottoms on. Green. There was so much green skin.

“Holy shit,” Bruce said, and gasped for breath.

“Don’t panic, Bruce. We’re gonna be okay,” Tony said. Bruce felt he was drawn to Tony’s sense of calm, and wasn’t sure what to make of that.

“Oh sure, you’re gonna be fine... I’m-”

“No,” Tony said firmly. “No, you are not a goddamn monster, Bruce. Don’t even say it. That self perception is outdated. You’ve changed, but you’re still human... I... I want to show you something,” Tony said, trying to get Bruce to change gears mentally.

“What?” Bruce asked, curious as always.

“FRIDAY, can you bring up the Banner Project on the holo-display?” Tony asked.

“You got it, boss,” she replied.

The holo-display in the corner of the room sprang to life, bringing up a design Bruce knew well. His attention was drawn to it. “This is the basic product, with options for local issues... Your water treatment system... It’s currently being implemented worldwide. Production facilities are up and running in various central African nations, and two plants are about to open in India, like you wanted. They work great, Bruce... And they’re already making a huge difference in quality of life. Nestle is trying to sue me because they work so well and are killing demand for bottled water. We’re eliminating death from preventable waterborne diseases at an unprecedented rate. Even in absentia, you’ve been doing good work, Bruce. They’re talking about building statues in your honour,” Tony explained. “Look, a _lot_ has happened. I will tell you everything and anything you want to know. But we all thought you deserved the chance to continue to do good things... And to learn that your power doesn’t have to come from anger, fear, or stress.”

Bruce inhaled deeply, and looked down at Tony’s hand, which was still on his wrist. The touch was gentle and grounding. Something different radiated out of Tony. Bruce wasn’t sure it was something his enhanced senses were telling him, or if it was the change in Tony’s demeanour from the last time he’d seen him. “What’s different about you? Something is different,” Bruce said.

“It’s a _long_ story, Bruce. Probably at least 26 chapters and 140,000 words worth... But I’ll tell you everything if you want,” Tony said, and patted Bruce’s wrist. It was then that Bruce noticed the wedding ring on Tony’s finger.

“You and Pepper?” Bruce asked, smiling a little.

“No, that ship has sailed... And that’s okay. We’re still close friends, and she’s still my CEO... I want you to meet my husband though. I think you’ll get along.”

“Wait... husband?” Bruce asked. Suddenly realizing that all of Tony’s references to same sex attraction might have been legit, instead of hyperbolic bluster.

“I’ve never been much of a stickler for a particular type of genitals, Bruce. I bagged me a genius neurosurgeon turned sorcerer... And I know how weird that sounds. I really do... But between him, Doctor Cho, Doctor Ross, the Crown Princess of Wakanda, and a dash of myself and Vision, we brought you back,” Tony said.

“Doctor Ross?” Bruce asked

“Betty’s here, Bruce... She’d like to see you if you want. She’s been helping on the Gamma Radiation end of things.”

“This is... a lot. This is a lot,” Bruce said and shook his head.

“Hence my urging to take it slow, and also me being here solo,” Tony replied and smiled up at him.

“What else has changed?” Bruce asked.

“Well, I guess the smart place to start would be after Ultron. You remember that part right?”

“Yeah, I have... A few snippets after then, and the time with Thor... But it’s not a lot,” Bruce replied.

“That’s okay, we’ll get you caught up,” Tony said, and scrambled up on the bed and sat beside Bruce. Bruce took a moment to look around at the oversized room, made just for him and the Hulk, and started compiling the odds that his sorry ass would end up in a situation like this.

“Okay, so after we defeated Ultron...” Tony started, as if he was saying _once upon a time_.


	2. Proud Pete-y Keep On Burning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's trust exercises are somewhat dubious in Stephen's opinion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not quite sure how both chapters have a play on song lyrics as titles... We'll see if that continues.
> 
> Set a few years after the conclusion of Tintype...

_a few years down the road..._

Stephen was bouncing on the balls of his feet, looking out at the skyline. He and Tony were on a roof, watching a riot, which Tony absolutely refused to let them get involved in. “Tony, we have to do _something_ ,” Stephen urged.

“Not yet,” Tony said firmly, eyes locked on the leader of the riot, and the hero standing up to him.

“He’s just a boy,” Stephen justified.

“He is not. He’s nineteen. He can _vote_. He can _drink_ in Canada,” Tony reasoned.

“Tony!” Stephen said as Peter took a nasty hit.

“He needs to learn, Stephen. We might not always be there for him,” Tony said.

“This is cruel. We’re right here!” Stephen insisted.

“It is not cruel. He chose this life. We have to let him succeed on his own merits... And I think he can do it. I really believe that he can handle these bargain bin shit disturbers... Who the fuck is Fancy Dan anyway? This is some tiny penis hipster proud boys bullshit going on. The kid can handle it, love. I promise you he can,” Tony said, his tone changing to something softer and more reflective.

Within moments, Peter had some clever web-slinging going, and with one wide loop, he rounded the inciters up, separating protest groups, and lassoing the aggressors together like wayward steers. Tony looked at Stephen, and gave him a very self satisfied smirk.

“What did I tell you? He’s _good_ at this... We have to trust him more,” Tony said. “We keep a serious eye on him, but let him learn to succeed on his own.” Stephen scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“May is going to have your head if she finds out,” he retorted.

“Nah... She believes in Pete too,” Tony assured. “Come on, he gets overwhelmed by the media. Let’s distract them so he can give his statement to the cops.” Tony fired the suit to life and took off. Stephen rolled his eyes again, as the Cloak followed Tony with himself in tow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my head, I have re-imagined Fancy Dan of the comics as a Gavin McInnes Type... Fuck that type... Spider-Man is having none of that type.


	3. When You Gonna Give Me Some Time, Sharon-a?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony helps INTERPOL take down someone he thought he knew well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey folks! Another little quick hit in the Tintype series... I always wanted to get to this, but it didn't fit anywhere in the story proper. I finally got a half a jiffy to sit down and type this up. I am currently mulling over the plot of an original novel, so my fan fic will be more sporadic for the time being, but I will never really leave these guys behind. I love them too much.

Tony adjusted the cuff links he’d been given for this job. They were excellent quality. Tony had to hand it to their creator. While it was the kind of thing that SHIELD would have tried to cheap out on, INTERPOL had not. These were the real deal, taken from the collection of another operative, handcrafted decades ago in Switzerland by a well-respected jeweler. They were just ridiculous enough that someone like Tony would want to have them if he had been so inclined to that type of life, and it had been a savvy move on INTERPOL's part.

Tony had been surprised by the request for undercover work of all things, but he was one of the few people who could pass into the wealthy recesses of society unnoticed, and also get the target to emerge from her bolt hole. Ultimately it was a small segment of the world population that could get into this restaurant in Bern, because one needed real money to even walk through the door. He stood up when he saw his target, as his upper class manners instructed he do... Sharon Carter had dyed her blond hair back to the the rich chestnut brown he remembered her having as a young child. “I like the hair,” Tony commented as he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and pulled out her chair for her.

“Let’s get this over with, Tony. I have other business to attend to,” Sharon replied somewhat curtly.

“I’ll be done before dessert,” Tony said, keeping his face amiable.

“Then why meet here?”

“Because discretion from the staff is part of the _prefix_ price. It’s private and secure, there are no ears that are too curious, and I can do something nice with my little _cousin_... In particular since I discovered that we both share the same special interest.” Tony leaned forward in a familiar hug before Sharon took her seat. “ _Hail Hydra_ ,” Tong whispered in her ear. He pulled away, letting her catch a brief glimpse of his cuff links. The skull and tentacle logo was subtle, but the genuine nature of their craftsmanship were not. Sharon hid her surprise well, and leveled him with a self-satisfied smirk, as if he’d just handed her a winning lottery ticket.

“That explains so much about your recent actions... We aren’t usually so blatant about our activity,” Sharon mused.

“The world is filled with fear and conflict. It’s the perfect time to start stepping out of the shadows. Besides, it's _me_ , Sharon. I don't do subtle very well long term,” Tony reasoned, holding her hand as she sat, and pushing in her chair. Tony then sat opposite her and met her eyes... Tony knew this game. Speculative appraisal assessing Tony for subterfuge.

“How long?” Sharon asked.

“Loki’s attack on New York,” Tony said casually as he took a sip of water. “The Scepter was very subtle with its work on me. It took a long while for it to take. Ultron was too much too soon and we had to learn to temper the mind stone, thankfully, Vision seems to be well on track for our purpose.” Tony smiled at her, his eyes were dark and ominous like a shark on the hunt.

“I’m glad you came to see reason,” she replied, and went for her own water glass. Tony poured the wine and set a glass down in front of her.

“Most of the good things I’ve been doing recently will benefit the world once we’ve fixed the problems with it... A golden age awaits,” Tony said. Inside his stomach churned with the effort of pulling off this lie, because it wasn't all that far off from what Tony was actually doing, and at the thought of what little Sharon Carter had become. He only had guesses before this time, but with what he was now, he could see into her and knew the truth. Thankfully now law enforcement had enough to evidence to charge her on the crimes she’d helped commit and the world chaos she’d helped create.

“And your marriage to the sorcerer? Hydra doesn’t take kindly to that sort of thing,” Sharon murmured.

“The sorcerer is a very useful asset... And an excellent and compliant lay... It’s a brave new world, Sharon. The powers above us know they need to bend to some more modern attitudes to avoid open rebellion. Especially if they want my talents and resources. We’ll need him on our side. He will make subduing the population so much easier... And, he has a _very_ tight ass, along with spectacular flexibility. Must be all the yoga,” Tony said, that vicious grin returning. Sharon looked uncomfortable and off balance now, wondering how high Tony was up on the hierarchy. Clearly it was further than her if he knew about her, but she hadn’t been told about him. It made sense given his wealth and power, and the cuff links once worn by Johann Schmidt himself were a clear indicator that Tony was in deep.

“What do you need me to do? What do you want, Tony?” Sharon asked.

Tony lifted his wine glass. “I wish to propose a toast,” Tony said. Sharon tentatively lifted hers. “To a new beginning... One with one less Hydra piece of shit on the streets,” Tony’s menacing grin was still plastered on his face as agents of INTERPOL filled the room with automatic weapons trained on her. Sharon stood up as the armour poured out of Tony’s skin as he came around the table, and he put his gauntlet covered fingers into her mouth. The nanobots then isolated all four cyanide capsules in her molars, and removed them for later disposal. “Don’t bite down unless you want to break your pretty smile,” Tony warned. He removed his fingers, and grabbed her wrist, wrenching it around her back with only as much force as necessary. The police moved in and a female officer started a pat down to check Sharon for weapons or any other means of suicide on her person. Once she was cuffed properly, Tony stepped in front of her again.

“Ya know, Sharon, my old man was a shitty father... But one thing he wasn’t? He wasn’t a fucking Hydra agent,” Tony said with a sneer. “They got you young, didn’t they? A real feather in their cap to have Peggy Carter’s extended family on board their fascism train... Did she know? Or was it another thing she forgot?” 

“Fuck you, Tony,” Sharon spat as she tried to struggle against the officers.

“Rot,” Tony retorted as she was hauled away, while the agents recited a list of charges and her Miranda rights.

Stephen appeared in his field of view as Tony removed the cuff links and an ear piece like they were on fire, and handed them to the lead investigator. “Thank you very kindly for your help, Dr. Stark. You did very well,” the dour investigator said.

“I’d like to thank the Academy,” Tony quipped to cover his inner conflict at Sharon being lead away in cuffs.

“You did well, and you did the right thing,” The investigator said.

“You’re welcome... But I taught the little girl version of Sharon Carter how to swim in the waters off Long Island, and went to her high school graduation... This... Wasn’t easy. I’m not a fan of how conflicted this has left me, because even if her emotions for me were based on lies, my emotions for her weren’t,” Tony explained. The INTERPOL investigator nodded solemnly.

“Thank you for your continued dedication to justice for victims, Dr. Stark.”

“You’re welcome... Just, don’t ask me to do this again any time soon,” Tony said. He closed his eyes and collected himself. He hoped that would bring an end to the conversation and it did. When he opened his eyes next, Stephen was directly in front of him. Stephen could feel the turmoil in Tony as their eyes met. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry,” Tony said as the corners of his eyes became glassy and wet.

“Whatever for, love?” Stephen asked.

“I just... Objectified you to make an arrest... It’s... Well disgusting only starts to cover it,” Tony said quickly, words tumbling from his mouth frantically. Stephen gently took Tony’s hands in his, and stepped into Tony’s space. He held Tony’s gaze and kept his expression soft.

“Tony, you had to make it sound reasonable to her. I can compartmentalize. I know how you feel for me, you share it with me all the time, and it’s wonderful... More than I could have ever hoped for. But if you let me kiss you in front of all these rich conservatives whose lunch we’ve interrupted, that might help your state of mind,” Stephen said and smirked.

“Gladly,” Tony replied as Stephen ducked down and then placed a filthy kiss on his husband’s mouth. Tony moaned softly and then wrapped his arms around Stephen. “Meeting you was the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Tony said breathlessly when their lips parted, and then spoke more calmly. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Stephen answered, putting his forehead on Tony’s. They stayed like that as long as they were able. The armour had receded all the way back into the hives in Tony’s body, which had taken its time, as proximity to Sharon had let him see how she’d been indoctrinated to go deep to accomplish Hydra’s goals. So deep sometimes, that she had to appear to be on the other side for most of it. Her nonsensical action of freeing Steve and the others, and re-arming them to boot made all kinds of sense now. It had been a masterstroke in breaking up the Avengers as they had once been. In hindsight, that wasn’t a bad thing, but it had left the world vulnerable until Tony had figured out how to up his game yet one more time.

With the arrest, he had the feeling that something very bad had been headed off at the pass, and yet, he still mourned the friendship he once thought he had with Sharon. She’d been a sweet kid to the best of Tony’s knowledge, and this betrayal hurt more than he thought it would. Eventually, after questioning and a police report, he let Stephen lead him through a portal to the Sanctum, where he could finally have that cry he’d been planning on in the privacy and safety of Stephen’s company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to not be too Sharon-bashing in this... But she seems sketchy to me in the MCU... Always has.


	4. She's Gone to Heaven So I got to be Good, so I Can See My Donna When I Leave this World.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony helps Stephen break down a wall and find some peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another thing I wanted in Tintype proper but there never seemed to be the right spot for it... Let's place this somewhere around Mordo and Ebony Maw's attack on the Sanctum... Also I really need to quit it with the poorly thought out bastardized 'old' song lyric chapter titles before this gets out of hand.

Tony hadn’t been too worried when Stephen was late for their dinner date, and rather had just set out to find the sorcerer instead. He put FRIDAY on it, and she found him quickly as he didn’t seem to be hiding. So, Tony hopped into the armour and made for the Green-Wood Cemetery. He had FRIDAY cross reference Stephen’s location and any other relevant names and had a fairly decent idea of what he would come across there. Stephen’s parents had done well enough to purchase a family plot there years ago. He dampened the sound of the repulsors as much as possible, and brought the armour down softly on the grass, and stepped out of it.

So Tony wasn’t shocked to see the name DONNA STRANGE etched into a marble marker in front of which Stephen was hovering slightly above the ground in a meditation pose, in full sorcerer regalia, with the Cloak of Levitation fending off the cool breeze. Stephen’s head inclined toward Tony, but he didn’t turn to greet him. Rather he let Tony approach and sit beside him on the grass. “I think the last time I was here, I was drunk and in my early twenties,” Stephen admitted softly.

“Better late than never,” Tony replied, trying to soothe Stephen.

“I was... too young to help. I was just starting my education when she died... Inoperable brain tumour,” Stephen admitted. Tony clasped Stephen’s hand and cradled it tenderly in his.

“I... I kind of guessed. I’m so sorry, love,” Tony said.

“It galvanized me in a way... Lit a fire under my ass to succeed. But that’s because I couldn’t allow myself to mourn. Donna... Donna was my heart. I don’t know why I am the way I am, just that I've always been reserved. She always could bring me out of my stoicism... She was so alive and dragged me along with her. She was my parents’ joy too. Her death killed my ability to feel, or at least was a damn good excuse for me to ignore my emotions. For decades I was stuck in the superficial. Until I found my way to Kamar-Taj and embraced changing myself... Even then I remained reserved. I often wonder if I could have connected better, then perhaps I could have reasoned with Mordo... But I couldn’t. Not until I met you, Tony... It may just have been luck that we were both willing to connect when we did. But I am so grateful that we did. My heart has never been so full since before she died.” Stephen said.

“You know I feel the same way about you,” Tony murmured just loud enough to be heard over the breeze through the trees. “But I gather that you’re here to reconcile something... I assume you’re scared that by loving me, you will lose her, or at least you’ll feel like you’ve betrayed her memory,” Tony reasoned. Stephen’s cold, trembling fingers curled around Tony’s, and Tony knew he’d hit the nail on the head.

“Do you want to speak with her, love?” Tony asked.

“I’m frightened that she’ll be angry with me,” Stephen said, voice hoarse and full of self-loathing.

“You know that fear is probably entirely unfounded, right?” Tony asked softly.

“Yes,” Stephen retorted sharply, and then paused to sigh and collect himself. “I’m sorry... It’s just, it’s not rational, but it’s what I fear none the less.”

“Trust me, I get it,” Tony said. “I have my own battles in that sphere as you know... But what would you say to her if she wasn’t angry with you?”

Stephen blinked rapidly several times and sniffed. “That... That I’m sorry I wasn’t ready in time... The type of tumour she had is operable now if the surgeon is steady enough. Of course it can be done with robotics and cutting lasers now, but it required someone to figure out how do the cutting in order to keep the brain free of damage.”

“One of your techniques?” Tony asked, full of wonder and admiration.

“First thing that was ever named after me... But even as I was accepting awards, recognition, and monetary gain for it, I realized it was all too little too late. I couldn’t save the one person I’d set out to save... And it still makes me feel like a failure from time to time. That was why I spent lavishly. None of it mattered because what I accomplished had lost all meaning,” Stephen said.

A ghostly, slender hand swatted Stephen’s hair on the opposite side of his head from Tony. “Oh, stop being stupid, Stephen,” a female voice said. Stephen’s concentration broke, and he fell the short distance to the ground and sprawled on his ass for a moment, before the Cloak got him to his feet. His hair was askew and his eyes were blown wide at who he saw before him. Tony snickered and got to his feet as well. The vision before Stephen shook him deeply. Donna’s soul stood in front of him in 90’s-tastic button fly Tommy Hilfiger jeans and a t-shirt that bore the cover art for _Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness_. Her dark hair was loose around her shoulders and her eyes were bright blue.

“Tony, I - I didn’t-” Stephen started, looking back at him.

“She wanted to talk to you. Don’t blame me. I’m just obliging her,” Tony said.

The ghostly hand of his sister reached up again and smoothed down Stephen’s hair. “God, I think you got even taller. How is that possible?” Donna said. Stephen’s gaze returned to her.

“Tell me about it,” Tony said dryly.

“Stephen Strange, if you don’t stop thinking I’m angry at you this instant, I’m going to have to haunt you properly until you get it through your thick skull that I was never angry at you. I got angry that I had to say goodbye so soon. But I’ve had time... Time helps,” she said. “And magic, Stephen? How does someone like you end up as a sorcerer? You told grandma there was no god on Easter Sunday.”

“She was railing against gay people... I was trying to explain the difference between hard-wired sexual attraction in the brain and her idea of ‘ _alternative lifestyles_ ’... And I said I didn’t know _if_ there was a god, but if there was, he had a lot of human suffering to answer for,” Stephen clarified. Donna laughed and patted his cheek. 

“Despite your turtle shell, you always did want to help,” Donna said. Tony and the Aether were aiding her in being tangible here on this plane, and she finally leaned in to hug him. Stephen wrapped his arms around her, still bewildered.

“I miss you,” Stephen whispered, choking up again and shedding tears for his sister in the first time in about two decades. He wasn’t sure how he could still smell her shampoo, but revelled in feeling her restored head of hair against his cheek and neck.

“I miss you too, but I look in on you when I can. I’m sorry you crashed your car, but you shouldn’t have been driving like that,” she said softly.

“I know,” Stephen replied. “I’m sorry if I made you worry.”

“Me worry? You should worry about how mom and dad handled it. What if you had died and left them alone, Stephen? Please, take care of yourself, and we’ll all see one another again some day, okay?”

“I’ll try,” Stephen murmured.

“Good,” Donna said. “I can’t stay long... But once I figured out who Tony was, I reached out to him. I figured you deserved a little bit of the peace I have.”

“I’m grateful to know you’re at peace,” Stephen said, holding her more tightly for a moment before slowly letting go.

“And Tony is super cute. You got a good one I think, Stevie,” Donna said. She gave Stephen a wink as she started to fade from view.

“I love you,” Stephen declared earnestly, burning her image into his eidetic memory.

“I love you too, Stephen. Always remember that,” she said.

“I’ll try,” Stephen said.

“And if he doesn’t remember, you’ll remind him won’t you Tony?” she said.

“You got it,” Tony promised.

“Sorcerer... That’s crazy AND awesome,” she said with a glittering smile at him as she faded from their presence.

In an instant she was gone and once again, Tony and Stephen were left alone in the cemetery. Stephen didn’t say a word, rather he reached for Tony, who pulled him in fiercely and wrapped his arms around Stephen. Stephen settled his head in the crook of Tony’s neck and wept for a long time.


	5. Yule be Home for Christmas, Right?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning, here be Christmas fluff... It's so fluffy, you're gonna... well, not die. But you might need to brush your teeth. Set after the end of Tintype proper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is late... I wanted to get it done on Christmas Day... But I'm feeling much like Tony is in this one. It's been a long season in retail. Bring on the desolate quiet of February is all I'm sayin'. But I had a very good Christmas (despite the cold that I lucked out to get in the days leading up to it, as I was mostly over it by Christmas Eve), and I hope you did as well.
> 
> Once again, all warnings about reading Tintype before any of this will make sense applies.
> 
> Peace on Earth, good will to all.

_“But the prettiest sight you’ll see,_  
_is the holly that will be,_  
_on your own front door._  
_Sure it’s Christmas, once more.”_

Tony had been about 12 minutes away from a tantrum when he finally extricated himself from the last social obligation before the holiday. He had kept a lid on it, and remained cheery, but he was well and truly at the end of his endurance for everything that came with the season. Well, everything that didn’t involve him having time to spend with Stephen. Since he’d taken over the company (and promptly handed it over to Pepper), Christmas Eve around the office had become a booze-free, polite, catered luncheon, where everyone had a nice time and went home early. Thankfully that hadn’t changed. It had been lovely to spend some social time with the team he’d built over the years. He got the opportunity to thank them all individually and personally hand out the bonus cheques.

But there was a short list of people that Tony actually wanted to spend time with right now, and only Pepper and Happy were on that list at the office. Tony felt pretty good physically.. He’d made it through the season with a minimal cold that had only lasted a few days. But he had a lingering tiredness that made him eagerly anticipate the winter shut down for inventory and maintenance. He figured it was a step in the right direction for him. Before his life as a happily married man, he’d craved activity, and had spent the time off tinkering. Now he felt very comfortable with the contents of his tinker file, and was ready for a break with his family.

Pepper had finally given him the nod, and he’d kissed her cheek, hugged Happy hard, took the Santa hat from his head and plunked it on Happy’s, and then practically ran out of the office toward his launch deck on the roof. The armour formed up around him and the suit and tie he’d been wearing with a precision that made him grin. He took a last look at the newish Flushing S.I. facility around him, which had grown out of the grounds for the Stark Expo. His grin widened, appreciating and being thankful for everything and took off towards home.

The Sanctum looked surprisingly _festive_ when he finally caught sight of it in the HUD. The windows facing Bleecker Street all had single candles burning in them, and Tony half remembered something about sailor’s wives doing the same thing while waiting for their husbands to return from sea. The railings going up the front stoop and around the door were decorated with real cedar garland, ribbon, and warm white lights. It took Tony a moment to realize that the twinkle lights weren’t strands of incandescent or LED bulbs... Rather, it seemed that Stephen and Wong had harnessed helpful will-o’-the-wisps to add a seasonal ambiance to the place, and they danced and flashed in the wind. The ribbon matched the wreath on the door perfectly. For once, the traffic outside was light, and there didn’t appear to be anyone on the street. There was a light snow flurry coming down, and the postcard perfect image gave Tony pause. He was used to beautiful decorations this time of year. It came with the wealth in which he’d been raised. But something about the sight before him screamed _home_ at him, and the emotional warmth that came with it rose up in him fast and hard. He had to blink a few times and was glad for the helmet still on his head.

Tony swallowed, and cleared some of the lingering congestion from his throat, and the armour started to recede as he made his way up the stairs. The door opened for him like always, spilling warm light on to him and the street. Tony smiled again, thrilled to pass through the door and away from the world at large. There were lighted garlands on the all the railings and along the wainscotting of the Sanctum’s walls. In the sitting room next to the foyer, the tree that Tony insisted on was up and lit as well... Someone had made a good job of it, and nearly had it all decorated with ornaments. Beside the tree, sipping at a can of ginger ale, wearing a Santa hat, with an ornament in his other hand, was Peter Parker. The kid had his back to him and was singing along to Bing Crosby... It wasn’t unwelcome, but not what Tony was expecting.

Peter sniffed heavily, placed the ornament on the tree, and then reached for a tissue. Apparently he’d come down with Tony’s cold, despite the fact that Tony warned him to keep his distance in the workshop at the compound the other day. In turning for the box of tissues, Peter spotted Tony, and his slightly pale face lit up with a smile. “Hey kid, Merry Christmas,” Tony said.

“Hi!” Peter said. He blew his nose, chucked the tissue, and went for a bottle of hand sanitizer that was next to the tissues, which had mostly likely been Stephen’s doing. “The Doc had a thing, but he said he’d be back by dinner. I got that cold, so Aunt May didn’t want me at the shelter passing it around. Doc said it was okay if I hung out here until she’s done,” Peter said, mostly in one breath. “How have you not finished decorating your tree yet? Doc said it was fine if I started. I hope that’s okay.”

“That’s totally fine, Pete... Shouldn’t you be laying down getting some rest?” Tony said.

“It’s not that bad. I’ll be mostly over it by tomorrow,” Peter insisted and went back to a box of ornaments. It was then that Tony took notice of the ornaments Peter was putting on the tree. The cardboard box was ancient, but holding up well thanks to many layers of tape. Tony nearly gasped at the writing on the box declaring STARK X-MAS DECOR... - TREE. The writing was the same as many permission slips and report cards signatures he’d gotten over the years, and Tony knew instantly it was that of Edwin Jarvis. He did a double take, thinking the box had been left to the ether that was the Fifth Avenue mansion he ignored he owned most of the time.

Peter, ever perceptive, noted Tony’s expression. “Oh, Doc said it was okay if I got into the box so long as I was careful... I take it you didn’t know about this,” he said.

“It’s okay, Pete,” Tony said softly, approaching the box, but hesitant to touch it. “We used to decorate the tree together... Jarvis, Anna, and I... Mom if she was around. She always tried to be.” Peter looked at him, eyes wide with compassion. He boldly walked into Tony’s space and hugged him.

“You sure you’re not mad?” Peter asked.

“Positive,” Tony replied, pulling his eyes from the box and returning the hug.

“Merry Christmas,” Peter said. “Doc said he wouldn’t be long, but I was just getting here, and he dashed through a portal in his scrubs after getting me the snot rags and hand sanitizer... And some god awful tea that Wong insisted I have.”

“Scrubs?” Tony said, parting from the boy.

“Looked like he was headed into a hospital. Consulting maybe? That not at all strange normal doctor friend of his?” Peter said with shrug. Stephen leaving in scrubs was intriguing to Tony. Stephen mostly used his old scrubs for sleepwear now. He called up the newsfeed on his glasses and found a headline about a bad accident due to the weather on a nearby freeway that had resulted in a moderate amount of carnage for Christmas Eve.

“Christine,” Tony filled in for Peter, and nodded. Tony sent a quick text message to tell Stephen to take his time and get home to him safely. And also told him that the candles in the windows were a nice touch. He received the winking kissy face, candle, Christmas Tree, Santa, wizard, hospital, knife, and the face with a surgical mask emojis in return. Emojis were Stephen’s pictographic way of explanation when he wasn’t in a situation to use to voice recognition to reply. Tony smiled, and returned his attention to Peter. “Looks like he’s helping her,” he said. “Have you eaten?”

“The Doc invited Aunt May back here for dinner later... But you know me, I can always eat,” Peter admitted.

“Where’s Wong?” Tony asked.

“In the kitchen I think. He’s trying to avoid my cold,” Peter said.

Tony was happy, though a bit baffled to see Stephen’s parents sitting at the kitchen table with Wong, having a cup of tea. But it did explain the Bing Crosby playing softly in the sitting room. He greeted his parents-in-law warmly, with loud exclamations of surprise and hugs for Beverly and Eugene. When the initial shock wore off, Tony looked shrewdly at Wong. “Is Stephen trying to Giswold up our Christmas Vacation?” Wong shrugged.

“Oh probably, Sparky. His timing sucks though,” Wong said. Tony laughed and rolled his eyes.

“Only when it comes to social things. Just let me know if I need to fix a knoll post at any point. I think I can conjure up a chainsaw with the armour,” Tony retorted, and it was Wong’s turn to smirk. “Okay, kiddo, what do you want to eat?”

“Can I have soup?” Peter asked. Tony snapped his fingers and then pointed at the boy.

“I knew it,” Tony said, and threw his hand into the air in frustration as he went for the cupboard.

“Knew what?” Peter asked.

“It’s Christmas and you should be asking me for liquid glucose straight to your veins. You _are_ more sick than you’re letting on,” Tony declared as he rummaged through some cans, and selected one that would do the trick. 

“Am not, just a little chilly is all. It’s drafty in here,” Peter tried.

“Oh, now you’ve done it,” Tony said and tried to smother laughter.

“Done what?” Peter asked as a flash of red burst into the room. The Cloak of Levitation spotted Peter and proceeded to wrap him up tight and sit him down in a chair at the opposite end of the table as Stephen’s parents and Wong. Peter squawked and tried to fight until he realized what was happening. “Oh... Hey Levi,” he said shivering a bit. The Cloak redouble its efforts to warm him. Tony didn’t even bother looking over his shoulder as he opened the can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle.

“He pulled the same routine on me last week. You’re best to just surrender to it, Pete,” Tony said. He started the stove, and pulled out a small pot. Stephen’s parents looked slightly bemused to see the domestic billionaire sassing the teenager, as he set about straight-up nurturing the cold right out of the boy. Wong got the same look at seeing him assemble a grilled cheese sandwich and pull out the frying pan.

When Tony brought the plate over to the table, Peter took his time assessing the food before he dared even touch it. “It’s not poison. Look, I went to college and was raised by the butler. I know how to make a few things. Eat, or I will make the Cloak help you eat,” Tony ordered. Peter dutifully snaked his hand out from under the Cloak and picked up the spoon. “Good man.”

Tony sat down at the table with a cup of decaf (Stephen would be so proud of him), and proceeded to catch up with everyone. It was interesting, because less than an hour ago, he was desperate to be alone with Stephen... But he found that the delay wasn’t bothering him. It was the break from his mile long To Do List and the sense of being home, that was bearing him up despite how tired he was. This was helping the desire for real connection he was craving. So when Stephen finally opened a portal directly into the kitchen, Tony was feeling relaxed and content. He’d had the Cloak move Peter to the sofa in the sitting room as he was falling asleep at the table. Tony was doing the few dishes, and turned around at the familiar sound of sparks behind him.

Stephen walked through looking weary and pale, and Tony wondered if Stephen was coming down with the same cold. Tony had to wonder if this version of Stephen, who was wearing dark blue scrubs and a surgical cap, was a ghost of Christmas past. It was a glimpse into how he used to live. He had a mask hanging around his neck, and there were dark blood stains on his pants and near the collar of his shirt. To Tony’s secret and utter delight, he took note of the nano-bot tech hand and finger braces, which were partially obscured by Stephen's Sling Ring. Tony had given them to Stephen as a wedding gift. He had been so unsure of them at the time, but Stephen had taken to them eagerly. Though he only used them when he needed his dexterity back, and judging by the state of Stephen’s scrubs he had definitely needed them today.

“Hey, babe,” Tony said softly. Stephen looked at him, and smiled wearily. Tony went over to him, and gave him a long hug and chaste kiss for the sake of their company. “You okay?” Tony whispered.

“Yeah, I will be... Just... I’m going to be sore, and it’s been awhile since I’ve had to do anything that technical... I had to really steel my nerves in there,” Stephen murmured back.

“Did you save them?” Tony asked.

“Yeah,” Stephen said, voice thick with emotion. “Yeah, my prognosis is good. Christine will be monitoring him overnight. I will have to stop in early tomorrow morning and check on him though.” Stephen took a long breath, and slumped against Tony. “Drunk driver, 39 years old... Hit the back of a transport truck sideways after losing control, swelling in his spine and brain due to shrapnel from the crash... But I think he should regain most of his function,” Stephen said. Then after a moment of silence, he spoke again. “It could have been me, Tony.”

“Oh, oh Stephen... Are you okay? What can I do to help?” Tony asked.

“I just need a minute,” Stephen replied. Tony held Stephen more tightly.

“All the minutes you need,” Tony murmured. Stephen took a deep breath, and relaxed into Tony, humming a bit as he sighed to bring his heart rate down further. “Sounds like you did a good thing today.”

“I hope so. I tried to teach the technique to the other surgeons in the room... I have been thinking about it. Is there any way to set up a virtual surgery to teach students?” Stephen asked. Tony’s eyes popped open further, and he worked his jaw back and forth a bit.

“Holographic and nanobot tech combined... Yeah... Yeah, I think it’s doable. Ohhh, Pepper is gonna loooooove you,” Tony said in a sing-song way. “How do you feel about registering a patent for Christmas?” Stephen broke into a real smile finally and let Tony go, though his hands lingered at Tony’s hips.

“Did I overdo it on the decorations? I think I overdid it,” Stephen said.

“Not at all, babe. It’s beautiful. I may have cried a few manful tears as I arrived,” Tony admitted. Stephen chuckled, and pressed his forehead against Tony’s. “But, I am suspecting you of turning this place into a National Lampoon movie shortly... Pete has mentioned May coming over, and Pepper and Happy said something about seeing me later... So, how many people did you invite?”

“I ordered a massive amount of Chinese food to be delivered in about an hour. Plus Rhodey and Carol, and Christine if she can get a break. I invited Bruce, but he said he’s doing the Yule thing with Thor, Loki, and Brunhilde. I hope you’re not angry,” Stephen said. “I wasn’t anticipating having to help with brain surgery today.”

“That’s fine, love... Even if the Spider-Baby passes on his plague to all of us.”

“Shit, how is he?” Stephen asked, looking around for him.

“On the sofa in the sitting room, taking a nap. The Cloak is keeping him warm and in place,” Tony replied. “I knew it was bad when he asked me for soup instead of chocolate milk... How did you get the ornaments?”

“Oh...” Stephen looked sheepish and because of that, boyish. Tony thought it was a good look on his husband. “Minimal subterfuge, I promise. I asked Pepper about it, and she gave me the go ahead to... Well basically to break and enter to get at them. I’m sorry,” Stephen said.

“No, don’t be... This... This is wonderful, Stephen... I’ve spent a lot of Christmases alone or close to alone. So long as I can get a decent amount of sleep tonight, this all sounds great and I’m in,” Tony said. He pressed a kiss to Stephen’s lips. Stephen smiled.

“I love you,” Stephen murmured.

“Love you too,” Tony said, and kissed his nose. “Cuppa tea?”

“Yes, please,” Stephen replied with the same eagerness as if Tony had just said _tropical vacation_. It was one thing Tony had decided to get really good at for Stephen. He poured out a bit of old water, and started with fresh, and set about making a proper cup of tea for his husband. Stephen greeted Wong and his parents, and then went to clean up and change. He was still wearing the braces when he returned to them and his tea, and Tony knew that their Christmas day was going to be quiet as Stephen was going to be in an inescapable pain cycle due to overdoing it. And like hell Tony was going reprimand him for it. Stephen knew what he was doing, and he would do it again in a heartbeat to save a life... At any rate, it would be time to cook up some ideas about this training option for surgeons... If Stephen wanted to that is. Distraction was usually good for Stephen in this situation.

The food arrived around the same time as their guests. Happy and Pepper, along with Carol and Rhodey were on time of course, with May trialing in a few moments afterwards. The ruckus finally woke up Peter who stumbled to his feet, despite the Cloak trying to keep him down. “I gotta pee and I’m hungry, buddy. I’m toasty warm now, I promise,” Peter finally told him, and that was the right thing to escape apparently. Tony laughed quietly to himself at their antics as May went to him and attempted to tame his hair.

Stephen and Wong were already at the task of moving the food to the upstairs dining room using portals as a dumb waiter. Tony knew the Sanctum still had an actual dumb waiter, but also knew the mercurial and puckish nature of the building, and he certainly wasn’t going to try it. Tony mostly kept his own abilities quiet nowadays, but even he and the Aether knew to not test the Sanctum’s patience.

After Stephen opened a portal to the hospital and brought Christine back through with him, they all made their way upstairs, smiling and laughing. The Cloak hung close to Peter when he rejoined them after his bathroom break, ever aware that he might be needed. Tony felt it was all very surreal. He paused at the top of the stairs to make sure Peter made it up, and looked at his loved ones gathering in the dining room. He had a very sudden realization that this was everything he wanted in life, and he’d finally accomplished the challenge Yinsen had laid out for him so many years before. It might not have been as Yinsen pictured it, but it was _family_. He made his way over and stood in the doorway to the dining room for a few moments, a strange little smile on his face. He’d tell Stephen again about what Yinsen had said later, and tell him how it was the best possible Christmas surprise he could have gotten. He felt his life actually mattered to these people, and their well-being was paramount to him. It was a different kind of resilience from his former mindset. Letting all of these people in had made him stronger than Iron Man could ever be on his own.

Stephen caught his eye and smiled at him, and waved him into the room. He was ignoring the pain in his hands, and would be able to for awhile yet. Tony went to Stephen, and put an arm around him. “This is perfect,” Tony whispered. Stephen’s smile widened.

“I’m just glad you’re not pissed off. I know you’ve been tired,” Stephen said.

“No, this is utterly perfect. I’ve never had a Christmas like this... How did I ever get to be so wealthy?” Tony said softly, voice full of wonder.

“Simple, you put in the work and you earned it, Tony,” Stephen replied. “Come on, let’s eat. We’re holding up progress here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And to all, a good night!
> 
> Christmas Vacation is mine and my brother's Christmas Eve tradition, and we watch every year... Wanna blow a teenager's mind? Show them that movie, and then point out that there are no computers on any of the desks at the offices, and no cell phones. It's like their brains can't fathom it. lol
> 
> I had a few more paragraphs for this, but I knew it wasn't really going anywhere, so I'mma leave it here. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, and comments are love!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are love.


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